The Rose Thief: An Everyday Life
by TheBrokenBottle
Summary: In the lives of veteran police officer Weiss Schnee, and criminal mastermind Ruby Rose, there is never a boring day. As a couple and as enemies in occupation, no day is the same, and no journey is a dull one. [Side-stories/Spin-offs, belonging to 'The Rose Thief' AU] [Off-canon][Other ships too]
1. Bad-Ass Break-In

**Hello, and welcome to this fine set of stories, belonging to 'The Rose Thief's universe. If you're reading this, and haven't read the official story yet, I'd recommend doing so. You'll certainly enjoy it, and it'll make reading these side bits a lot more enjoyable too!**

 **Those of you who know The Rose Thief, might have read this Spin-Off already. Don't worry though, a lot more one-shots, spin-offs and alternate universes are to be expected here, and I do take requests! I made a seperate story after several requests. Mainly because this will make the official story a better read, and because I came up with a lot of fluffy or funny stories, that are quite impossible with the story's main arc.**

 **So, having my intentions out of the way, I sincerely hope you enjoy this read, leave a follow or review, or maybe even a request!**

 **And for those of you that haven't, read the main piece "The Rose Thief"! Follow me on this adventure won't ya? :)**

 **I'll see you in the next chapter!**

* * *

It was a peaceful night, a handful of clouds drifting lazily across the deep black canvas, passing in front of the moon in the otherwise clear night sky. The unmistakable shrill sound of chirping crickets, the gentle bubbling of falling water from a fountain and the rustling of leaves all contributed a steady and restful atmosphere that settled across the estate. A muffled crunch of gravel underfoot accompanied Ruby Rose as she made her way through the garden, hugging the shadows as she did so. The mechanic's toolbox in her right hand was filled to the brim with all sorts of tools one might use for breaking and entering, and already her arm was feeling the strain. Over her shoulder an empty dufflebag was slung, which hopefully - at the end of the night - wouldn't be so empty.

In front of her a tall building towered imposingly over the young girl, it's expertly carved fortifications casting long shadows across the garden. It was a big mansion made out of solid red bricks, the reflection of the moon shimmering in the many windows. The whole building screamed something authentic, important and, best of all, expensive. It was an impressive piece of craftsmanship the likes of which she could only dream of owning, and there wasn't a single fiber in her body that hesitated about the wealth that was hidden behind these walls.

" _Finally_." Ruby thought, breathing out a sigh born of deep-exhaustion, "Why is this so heavy?" The irritated redhead muttered to herself as she set down the toolbox, wincing slightly as her arm protested one final time against the load it had been carrying, and flopped her weight down in the gravel of the garden's foundation, not even bothering to pay attention to the rough, uncomfortable feeling of the small stones against her behind. " _And now we wait."_ she mused as she settled herself against the wall, arms crossed and head cocking against the cool brick. And before she knew it, Ruby was asleep enjoying a lucid dream of what her life could have been had she been so fortunate to have been born to such status that she lived in that mansion. Before long, though, her dreams became more Ruby-esque; miles and miles of cookies and candies, and treats of all shapes and sizes.

"Ruby." A voice echoed through her head, muffled by her subconsciousness trying to shut out everything that interfered with the dream she was having.

"Ruby?" The voice persisted, this time a little louder and Ruby felt herself slip away from the candy-wonderland she'd been experiencing mere moments ago, amazed by the candy-cane trees spreading as far as the eye could see over the cotton candy made ground.

"RUBY!" Ruby eyes flung open wildly to someone violently shaking her shoulders, and she shot to her feet, her hands flailing around in blind panic as she instinctively attempted to strike her unknown attacker. And to the surprise of both, she actually struck them, with one of her hands connecting hard with their face.

"Who-whaatt?" Ruby stuttered, still partially asleep, a mixture of panic and confusion filling her mind, her heart pounding deep in her chest. Lashing out like that when unexpectedly dragged from sleep had become a habit for Ruby, acquired over many unpleasant years of sleeping rough and being woken by complete strangers every now and then. And unfortunately, much to her own fright, not everyone had the right intentions for the sleeping beauty.

"Son of a.." She heard muttered from nearby, gazing down to see a very familiar blonde laying sprawled in the gravel, a furious red handprint throbbing on the side of her face where Ruby had unwittingly hit her.

"Ruby, what the hell!" Yang shrieked, flames beginning to form around her and sparks of undiluted rage glistening in her reddening eyes that were trained solely on Ruby.

"Y-yang?" Ruby's face whitened, the anger in her sister's eyes puncturing through her like a knife. "I'm so sorry! I must have drifted off." she reached out a shaking hand, feeling a wave of relief wash over her as her sister's features softened and Yang took the proffered hand and allowed herself to be helped up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine sis," Yang groaned, rubbing the newly-formed bruise that now decorated her left cheek. "Y'know, I expected Blake to be the first one to smack me like that." she chuckled, nudging her elbow teasingly in Ruby side, receiving an amused snicker from the youngster.

"What's it that you're talking about, and why am I being involved in it?" As silently as her faunus heritage would suggest, Blake dropped to the ground from a nearby oak tree, landing next to the two sisters and regarding them both with a questioning look.

For all the feline grace and elegance that Blake demonstrated as she leapt from the tree, there couldn't have been a greater contrast to the snapping of branches and cries for help as the hapless Jaune Arc tumbled to the ground, landing with a muffled thud on the hard gravel. He pushed himself up with shaky hands, managed a weak "Hey guys" before collapsing back down.

Jaune had been asked to join them on this robbery, for he could carry more than the girls. It was a good learning experience for him as well; giving him the opportunity to try out new skills in a real situation where the outcome mattered. That combined with his natural enthusiasm to help out made him an obvious choice to be a part of their team.

"Hey Jaune." Ruby replied, helping him to his feet with a slight smile, just as she had done with Yang a moment ago.

Yang grinned at the theatrics of Jaune, still holding her sore cheek in her palm, already heat flooding to the surface of her face. She turned to focus on her feline partner, her eyebrows raised suggestively and her lips pulled in a smirk. "And _hello_ there, kitty-kat. Lookin' mighty fine tonight." She purred.

"Cut the formalities," Blake stated wryly, a slight hint of sarcasm in her tone. Ruby could have sworn she saw the raven-haired girl's face ignite for a couple seconds, but shrugged it off when Blake continued her speech. "Anyway, seems we're complete. Shall I begin?"

All three of them nodded in unison and Blake swiftly retrieved a pencil, a flashlight and a blueprint from the backpack Jaune was carrying. Using a handful of stones as paperweights, she spread the blueprint on the gravel for all to see, giving Jaune the task of keeping the flashlight trained on it so they could all clearly see every last detail. "Welcome all, here on this fine eve-"

"Blakeee-" Ruby interrupted, pouting. "We don't have all day-" she paused for a second, "eh night for this. Get to the point."

Blake's eyes narrowed dangerously for a brief moment, her ears falling flat against her scalp before clearing her throat very deliberately and continuing. "So, since starting these meetings with a greeting apparently isn't a thing anymore, let's move on to the topic at hand." So saying she pointed with the pencil at the paper and tapped it a couple of times. "This mansion has a significant quantity of valuables stored inside. According to our intel the owner will be gone for the rest of the weekend, so this is the perfect opportunity to strike." Blake finished before being interrupted by barely suppressed giggling from Yang and Ruby, the faunus looking up with a mix of confusion and irritation. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Yang spluttered, nearly choking in her laughter. "Purr-fect opportunity." At that both sisters burst into a laughing fit, their legs shaking violently as they struggled to remain upright, tears forming in their eyes and the still night was suddenly filled with their high-pitched giggles.

"I can't believe you two." Blake hissed, her furious gaze trained on the two of them before turning to Jaune, the blonde-haired boy also fighting back a chuckle. Upon noticing the fierce amber orbs staring unblinking at him, Jaune swallowed nervously, quickly biting back his laughter.

"That wasn't funny." He deadpanned, his eyes looking around as he deliberately didn't meet Blake's withering gaze.

Blake sighed in a mixture of disappointment and resignation. She should be used to this by now, but clearly she was crazy for going on a heist with these nuttbrains. "As I said, a _good_ opportunity. Sun's already scouted the place and the security is light." Her pencil bounced on a couple spots on the map. "Here and here are tripwire traps, so be careful not to hit those if you don't want the alarm to be triggered. Is this clear?"

Again she received a nod from everyone.

"Pretty much everything inside is valuable so just take what you can. Our entrance and exit is here, and our backup exit is here." She pointed to a front-facing window and another one on the far side of the house.

"Alright then, that's all we need to know. This should be an easy job if we work quickly. If everyone's ready then we go in through this window," Blake paused for a moment, climbing to her feet and walking the short distance to the house, rapping her knuckles against a window next to her. "We should be okay. Yang, want to do the honors?"

"I'd love to." Yang exclaimed with a sly smile as she got up to her feet. She opened the toolbox Ruby had brought with her and retrieved a screwdriver and a hammer.

Ruby raised an eyebrow in confusion, making her way to the toolbox herself before glancing inside. Much to her chagrin, the toolbox was now empty, except for one particular item that raised her confusion and chagrin even more. It was _a stone._ And a big one too.

"Why is there a stone in the toolbox!?" Ruby shouted in a whisper, grabbing Yang by the collar of her jacket and looking at her with a bewildered look that threatened violence. "Where are my tools?!"

"Well," Yang said, freeing herself from the grip before forcing the edge of the screwdriver under the frame of the window using the hammer. "The screwdriver is to open the window, and the stone is a plan B for when the screwdriver doesn't work." She paused, putting away the screwdriver and grasping the window frame, pulling back with her weight but failing to force it. "Like now." Yang puffed before turning around. "Also, your tools are fine, they're in our room."

Ruby let out an exaggerated groan, before throwing herself against the wall in a way to make her frustration known. Blake and Jaune, simply stood back, snickering as they did so: Ruby should have known Yang would try to prank someone, especially her _sister_ should have seen that coming.

After a few moments, Jaune stepped forward, offering his assistance to Yang who was still trying to brute-force the window. "Yang, should I he-" Suddenly the frame gave way under Yang's violent mannerisms, chunks of wood flying through the air and hitting Jaune right in the face with a _thump_ , knocking him to the ground and the air out of his lungs in the process.

"Oompfh" Jaune grunted, as he - like Yang earlier - was now sprawled in the gravel, his face hurting all over, and a small line blood trickling down from his nose.

"Nailed it!" Yang patted herself on the back, completely ignoring the wounded Jaune scrambling at her feet. "And I didn't even need the stone."

This elicited a long, deep groan from nearby as Ruby slumped forward, feeling defeated.

"Let's go in," Blake proposed, already leaning through the now-opened window. "Standing in this cold is making my spine shiver."

* * *

In her time spent in Vale, Ruby had seen the interiors of many fine houses and stately homes. She'd been privy to some of the most exquisite decor and delicate furnishings around, and some of the most valuable artifacts money could buy - and then proceeded to make off with said items. Still, she'd not seen anything quite like the sight that lay before the four of them, and Ruby breathed an amazed " _Wow!"_ as her brain struggled to process the grandeur laid out in front of her.

The room was vast: far larger than any she'd been in before, with two sets of windows running parallel to each other. Thick, heavy curtains of burgundy and gold complimented the gold trimmings of several paintings lining the walls, each depicting a long-dead ancestor of the estate. From the ceiling hung a crystal chandelier, inlaid with diamonds and swinging ever so slightly in the breeze from the open window. A bear-skin rug was sprawled out across the floor, reaching from a designer-brand couch that seemed bigger than Ruby's room to a flat-screen tv the size of a small car.

As everyone entered the room, Ruby took a second to examine some of the paintings. Stern, dour faces scowled down at her as though they knew the purpose of her trespass that night. She'd never really seen the purpose in art: lots of portraits of people long dead wasn't her cup of tea especially when she had no idea who those people were. Having said that there was a smaller painting she'd initially missed that showed a majestic dear, it's coat shining a brilliant white as it stood proud atop a waterfall and she had to admit it was simply _enchanting_.

"Yeah, uh-" Yang began in a dry tone, flopping herself on the couch, her dufflebag thrown casually on the floor. "We're going to need more bags."

"Just take the stuff that's valuable and nothing more." Blake responded calmly, her eyes surveying the room. "Although, even that might not fit our bags."

"Uhh," Jaune stuttered, raising a finger in question. "So what do we do now?"

"We raid what we want," Ruby murmured, grabbing a plate of cookies that was left standing on the table before sneakily putting it away in her bag, spectacularly failing in her attempt to go unnoticed. She noticed Blake's withering scowl out of the corner of her eye, and forced an innocent grin as Blake shook her head disapprovingly and continued to focus her attention on the job.

"Given how big this place is I think it's better if we split up. One group searches upstairs, the other searches downstairs." Yang suggested, getting to her feet before sauntering over to Blake, throwing an arm around her waist and pulling her close, much to the feline's obvious discomfort. "I take Blakey."

"What!?" Ruby flinched, looking at Yang with a pout: mock hurt etched on her face. "Why do I have to go with Jaune?"

"Hey!" Jaune shouted in disbelief, pausing in the middle of shoving a statue in his dufflebag, "I'm not the worst y'know?"

"Ugh. Fine." Ruby puffed, turning an apologetic wry smile at Jaune. "Sorry for that, Jaune."

"Okay then~" Yang continued, still holding the reluctant raven-haired girl close to herself as she indicated towards the giant staircase that dominated the hall. "How about you two search upstairs, and we continue clearing this floor?"

"Sure." Ruby and Jaune said simultaneously before they strode out the room towards the great staircase, already deep in a fairly amusing conversation about jumping on the bed they'd most likely come across while searching the upstairs bedrooms.

"Typically Ruby." Yang chuckled, a broad smile etched on her face as she watched her sister scurry away. She pulled Blake close against her, the other girl not even bothering to break herself free this time and instead nestling closer into the blonde with a content sigh.

In and amongst the rush of everyday life it's not often that people get a moment of true peace. A moment where nothing seems to truly matter because in that moment everything is perfect in every possible way. A moment where you're with the people who mean the most to you, and that's all you could ever want from life. A moment that sticks with you until the day you die.

Right now, with Blake holding her close, Yang was experiencing such a moment. She gazed around, taking in the luxury they were surrounded by. Her heart ached for it: for the heavy curtains, for the crystal chandelier, for the paintings. Even the bear skin rug. She'd spent her whole life struggling and fighting and being turned away, and at times it had seemed like she'd never win. There had been times when she'd had to go without food for days at a time so that Ruby didn't have to. But this was the end goal: this was what it was for. So that she could give a life like this to Ruby and Blake and Jaune and all of them. All the people who no-one wanted. They deserved a warm bed and a roof over their heads. And in this moment, Yang had never been more sure of herself: she could and would do everything in her power to make that happen.

"Let's go." Yang's voice sounded a bit shrill, the blonde still deep in thought as they left the room, hand in hand, to search the rest of the house.

* * *

Ruby's eyes glistened upon flicking the light switch on in what appeared to be the master bedroom, finding herself drawn to the undoubted comfort of the king size bed situated in the center of the room. The deep purple sheets matched the same style of burgundy and gold curtains as were found downstairs. In the corner of the room, a marble statue of a scantily clad woman rested atop an oaken pedestal. At the foot of the bed a small bedside table with a miniature mahogany chest and an adult novel atop it faced a much larger oak cabinet, the heavy doors pulled shut. With her trademark grin, Ruby skipped over to the bed and flopped down gracefully.

"Ruby, what are you doing? We could get caught!" Jaune whispered loudly, looking around nervously.

"Ah c'mon Jaune, you gotta have fun in what you do! Learn to live a little." Ruby pouted as she climbed down from the bed. She retrieved her dufflebag from the side of the bed and grabbed a chocolate-chip cookie from the bottom of the bag, happily munching on it . "Want one?" She offered, pieces of partially-chewed cookie flying out her mouth, much to Jaune's distaste.

"Uhm, I'm fine, thanks." Jaune pulled a crooked smile before placing his own bag on the bed, opening it up ready for the contents of the room. "Let's get loaded."

Ruby smirked as she finished her cookie and made her way over to the cabinet. Behind the heavy oaken frame and glass windows were several treasures, both modern and antiquities, that would all do nicely for their haul. The contents of any one of the cabinet shelves were worth more than most people would earn in a year.

Ruby's enthusiasm was short-lived, as despite her best efforts the handle refused to budge: a considerable barrier to her thieving.

"Damn. Jaune, have you found a key anywhere?" Ruby spoke up, tapping her finger against the glass of the cabinet and squinting at the goods secured within. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Jaune's curious gaze focused on the cabinet.

"Nope." He shrugged, turning back to fumbling with a small box on the nightstand next to the bed, a simple padlock in the shape of a heart denying him entry.

"Alright." Ruby spoke resolutely before walking to the toolbox she - as much as she hadn't wanted to - was forced to take with her. Opening it with a click, she reached down in the box, her hands gripping around the stone that was in there, praying a silent ' _thank you'_ to Yang. As much as she hated to admit it, it looked like the stone would have a use after all. "Hello there sweetheart." She caressed the stone, deliberately imitating holding a baby.

"Uhh, Ruby?" Jaune looked up from the box that still seemed beyond him, seeing Ruby take a couple steps back, holding the stone in a slingshot position above her waist behind her. "What are you-"

With a grunt from exertion, Ruby hurled the stone forward, it soaring majestically through the air for a split second before crashing against the door with a thundering force and the ear-puncturing sound of breaking glass as shards covered the ground in front of the cabinet.

"Thank you stone." Ruby whispered with a smile as she carefully retrieved the stone from amidst the mountain of broken glass, shoving it back in the toolbox. The cabinet was seriously damaged, along with more than a few of the treasures within. Standing in front of the broken cabinet, she greedily started grabbing at the now exposed wonders: a handful of pearls displayed on one of the shelves, shortly followed by an expensive looking statue and what appeared to be a golfing trophy. At least, that's what Ruby assumed: the figurine holding aloft a golden golf club would seem to indicate as such.

By now, Jaune had learned not to question the madness and he wasn't even remotely surprised by Ruby's actions anymore, instead deciding to just keep persisting with the mahogany box. It took a few more seconds of fiddling with a hair clip he had found before the lock clicked open and Jaune opened the small case, revealing a set of matching jewelry inside.

He glowered for a moment before carefully placing the contents in his bag, taking a brief moment to appreciate each one as he did so. It dawned on Jaune that he'd probably never held anything that valuable in his life. Looking at the last piece inside the chest, he wondered for a moment. It was a slender gold bracelet with brilliant shining rubies embedded in it.

"How much do you think is worth?" Jaune questioned, handing it over to Ruby, who was now standing behind him.

The second she saw the piece of jewelry, Ruby's eyes widened. Everything about it was simply gorgeous with a definite spark of elegance to it and incredible attention to detail, from the mountings of the rubies to the intricate patterns carved into the precious metal. It must be worth a small fortune, or at least the souls of a few poor fellows, making this. She knew instantly the perfect person for this: a person who'd suit this bracelet like a well-worn glove around a hand, but she had to play this carefully. If Jaune or the others knew what this truly was then there was no way she'd be able to keep it.

Ruby shrugged indifferently. "Gold looks fake, rubies are plastic. Probably won't fetch more than a handful of pennies."

"Argh." Jaune groaned in frustration, refusing to take the bracelet when Ruby offered it back. "Keep it, it's worthless anyway."

" _Bingo."_ Ruby cheered inside her head, making a small jump as soon as Jaune had turned around. She couldn't wait to see the look on Weiss' face when she received it as a gift, and the thought of how happy this would make the young officer made Ruby glow with content.

Jaune was about to discard the now-empty case when his eyes caught a flash of red hidden in the dark corner of the case. Rather hesitantly he peered into the shadows, his curiosity piqued by what appeared to be a tiny red button. Why was it there? Could there be a secret compartment to the jewelry case? Jaune didn't know but he was damn sure he was going to find out.

A small "beep" seemed to sound from somewhere within the badly damaged cabinet, drawing the attention of both young thieves. A miniature door that had previously been camouflaged in the wall swung open, revealing the unmistakable form of an Altesian combat droid, albeit on a much smaller scale. The robot rolled slowly out, its eyes glowing a threatening shade of red as it surveyed the surroundings.

"He is so.. Cute!" Ruby squealed, making a small jump in the air.

"Hehe, yeah, I never knew they were that small. It's barely the size of a dog."

"I know! It's adorable! Can't wait to tell Yang about this."

Before Jaune could reply, the droid rolled forward, two arms swinging out from the side of its body, each seemingly armed with an ironically, miniature version of a minigun.

"Oh boy-" Ruby began before she was cut off by the ear-splitting sound of twin barrels rotating and hundreds of bullet casings crashing to the floor as the robot opened fire.

Fortunately, Ruby's consciousness was faster even than a bullet and in a flash she was out of the door, a traumatised Jaune being dragged unceremoniously along for the ride.

They waited for a moment to catch their breath, their ragged breathing drowned out by the gunfire tearing up the adjacent room. After what seemed like an eternity, however, it stopped and the ringing in their ears began to die down.

"Hey Jaune," Ruby began with a smirk, "You think that ever happened to the owners?"

"Maybe, Ruby, maybe." He chuckled good-naturedly before getting to his feet and offering a hand to his red-headed companion.

"Come on, there's still a couple rooms left to search upstairs and then we've got to meet up with the others. I just hope nothing like that happened to them."

* * *

"Woah…" Yang breathed in wide-eyed wonder as she opened the door to the mansion's garage. Rows upon rows of classic cars filled the vast space, each with several lights trained on it. Even the cheapest of these would be worth more than everything she had ever stolen in her lifetime combined, and the car enthusiast within Yang was having a mini-breakdown. Everything was in flawless condition, as though they'd just rolled off the factory that day: it was all she could dream of.

"Think I just climaxed." Yang chuckled embarrassed, a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

"Don't be so dramatic, we're on a job." Blake scowled, passing her companion further into the garage, "Though I have to admit some of these are rather nice."

"See!" Yang grinned, "I knew we'd get that flame sparking in ya sometime!"

"Not likely," Blake responded, "What's that one over there?" She pointed her finger to the center of the showroom, where an object stood in the center of bright lights, on a pedestal with a sheet covering the treasure that lay underneath.

Yang turned to see what Blake was looking at and found herself drawn to this mysterious object. Given the theme of the garage so far she was pretty certain it would be car-related, but what set this apart from the rest?

"Can I?" She asked sweetly, earning another eye-roll from Blake. "Please?"

"Why ask?" Blake said teasingly, "If I said no you'd still look underneath."

"Very sharp observation!" Yang chirped, skipping across the room.

The scent of leather seats and rubber tires, of fresh paintwork and fuel was almost intoxicating to Yang as she approached the pedestal. Cars and vehicles in general were her 'thing' and this was as close to heaven as she'd ever been. Ever since they'd moved to Vale it had been her dream to be able to afford a luxury car for herself and Ruby. To Yang it had always been one of those things that rich had that she couldn't, but that didn't stop her longing after the comfort of the seats or the thrill of her hair whipping about in the wind as she cruised along the beachfront, watching the sunset. If only she could spend more time here with Blake it would be absolute perfection.

"Ready?" She asked Blake who was still watching from the doorway.

"Just do it."

"Okay! Ladies and gentlemen, I, Yang Xiao Long, am proud to present the best of the best, the creme de la creme! This!"

With an exaggerated motion, Yang removed the sheet to reveal the sleek panels and hand-stitched seats that she'd dreamed about for years. It was a vintage car from a few decades ago, back when they made cars purely for car lovers, and everything about it called out to Yang. The chrome grill contrasted nicely with the beautifully molded black panels, and the fold-away roof allowed for truly pleasurable driving, always assuming the weather complied.

"Holy…" Yang mumbled under her breath.

"Okay you've seen what's underneath, can we get back to searching the rest of the house? We can't take any of these with us so they're worthless as far as we're concerned."

"Or, how about we take this beauty for a ride!" Yang beamed, "You know, cruising along the winding roads, the night sky looking down on the two of us. No-one else around just us, the car and the road."

"Nice try Yang," Blake replied unamused, "we're wasting time here. Put that cover back on and follow me: we still have several rooms to search."

"But Blaaaaake!" Yang pouted.

"No means no Yang."

"Okay okay geez. I'll catch up with you later, maybe there are some goodies here."

"Yang Xiao Long, I swear to god, do NOT play with that car, do you hear me?" Blake glared menacingly at the sheepish blonde.

"I wasn't going to!" Yang lied, "I'm just putting the cover back on, that's all."

"You better." Blake called behind her as she left the garage and headed back into the main part of the house.

Yang waited for all of three seconds to make sure Blake was definitely gone, before she turned back eagerly towards the car on the pedestal.

"Let's see what you've got, sweetheart." Yang purred, rubbing her hands together in satisfaction.


	2. Bad-Ass Break-In Part 2

Through sheer brute force on Ruby's part, the old iron padlock gave way under pressure, the metal snapping clean in two and both parts of the lock falling to the ground with a 'thump' as the drawer opened. Ruby sighed, wiping the thin layer of sweat she gained from her fight with the desk, off her brow.

"Ugh, finally." She muttered, her hands swiftly sorting through the contents of the draw, searching for anything that could answer the question that had been lingering at the back of her mind this whole time.

Whose house where they in?

The discovery of a master study adjacent to the bedroom had been a pleasant surprise for the redhead and her lanky companion. A musty smell pervaded the small room and a single, dim light bulb flickered over a solid oak desk and accompanying chair. Gathered in neat piles against all four walls were stacks upon stacks of papers, some of them very official looking, and a mini bookcase behind the desk held a few dozen more.

It made Ruby wonder. Sun had never informed her about the identity of the house's owner, nor their importance, but to own a house this big they must be rich at least. Thus far her search of the house had been fruitless and even the jewelry had yielded no answers, but if anywhere were to hold the clues to the question that plagued her so then surely it would be here, in the master study.

Ruby's eyes widened in surprise as she drew a stack of papers from the pile nearest the door, instantly recognising the very familiar logo in the top right corner of each form. Every single one had been issued form the Vale Police Department, detailing a whole array of crimes from driving under influence, to being drunk in public, attempts on torture, parking tickets and sexual harassment, with some files dating back several decades.

"Jaune, check this out." Ruby gestured for said person to come closer, not taking her eyes off the papers in the process.

"What's wrong?" He asked, peering over Ruby's shoulder, his eyes scanning the sheets carefully. "What are these?"

"Lawsuits against the owner of this house," Ruby murmured in concentration, skimming through the papers contents before putting them down with a sigh. "But there's no name on any of them."

"Wow that's pretty deep! Are we in the house of a psychopath?" Jaune asked with more than a hint of fear in his voice. The mere thought of someone capable of all that who lived in the embrace of these walls brought chills down Ruby's spine. The atlesian combat droid was something to be concerned about to say the least, and they still hadn't checked some of the rooms in the house, what more could await them?

"I don't think I want to know." Ruby swallowed thickly before carefully replacing the files where she'd found them: almost as though they would bite if she held them too firmly. "Let's go, this room gives me chibbies."

"Agreed."

* * *

 _Why did it have to be dogs?_ Blake stood rigid, her ears flattened back and her eyes locked on to the two slumbering forms in the corridor ahead. Subconsciously her hand squeezed the door handle tighter and tighter as she remained motionless, praying that by some miracle the two rottweilers would vanish into thin air and let her pass, but it was not to be.

"Yang!" She whispered as loud as she dared in the desperate hope that the blonde would hear from the garage and come to her aid.

Still nothing.

One of the rottweilers twitched in it's sleep and Blake's heart skipped a beat. Glistening beads of sweat began to form on her face as her animal instincts kicked in and she froze in place. While dogs weren't her favourite animals she could tolerate them normally, but this was different. A single wrong move and they'd be after her, and that was something Blake _really_ wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Come on Yang!" She tried again, keeping perfectly still. If there was anyone who could get her out of this predicament it would be the energetic blonde.

To Blake's dismay, her knight with shining blonde hair did not arrive to save the day, and as her heart gradually slowed down she was faced with one inescapable conclusion: she would have to sneak past the dogs alone.

Overwhelmingly cautious, the feline inched forward, keeping a close eye on any movement from her sleeping enemies. A deadly silence hung in the air, with the occasional rumble of soft snoring.

It didn't take long for the black-haired to cross halfway past the room, heaving a quiet sigh of relief as she praised her fellow bandits for teaching her the mastery of stealth in her younger years. Slowly she tiptoed forward, closely eyeing the sleeping forms.

How was it possible that their violent break-in, and their less-than-subtle journey throughout this mansion hadn't woken up the guarding dogs? Blake didn't have a clue, but that wasn't what was important right now.

A loud squeal filled the silence, much to the feline's shock. Looking down, Blake's heart skipped a beat. In the careless wander of thoughts, she didn't notice the squeaky toy lingering around on the floor, and she was now standing right on top of it.

"Shit." Blake exclaimed in a loud whisper.

The squeal was closely followed by loud growling. The rottweilers were now glaring ferociously at the terrified criminal, showing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth.

Her legs running faster than her mind could comprehend, Blake started sprinting down a hallway, a pair of threatening dogs close in pursuit. Almost tripping over the carpet, Blake skidded down the hallway, looking for her partner-in-crime, who was nowhere to be found.

"Yang!" Blake called out, hoping for a response. But none was given as the black-haired cursed under her panting. "Shit!"

The dogs were closing in on her and Blake pushed the full ability out of her legs, desperately searching for ways to shake off her fierce attackers. An idea popped in mind as she swung her arms for a table standing against the wall, tipping it over and crashing it on the floor. But the rapidly thought of idea seemed in vain. The dogs had jumped over the table effortlessly, and the distance was still closing between them.

Just when Blake thought it couldn't get any worse, an alarm started resounding throughout the hallway, followed by a loud thud and cursing coming into her direction, fast.

Over the loud wailing of the alarm, the sound of running footsteps were getting louder. Still running away from the dogs, Blake nearly bumped into Jaune who stumbled around the corner.

The dogs skidded to a stop, quickly running in the opposite direction to where that terrible loud beeping was coming from, howling as they did so. The ferocious foes proved to be nothing than a pair of terrified puppies.

Well, that was one of Blake's problems solved, only to be replaced by a way bigger one. Blake cursed under her breath, knowing that thinking this would be an easy snatch-and-grab payday would be too easy, and that there was always dangers lurking in unexpected corners.

Shifting her attention to Jaune, Blake felt her anxiety rising as she froze in place. The last thing she hoped coming out of his mouth, was that something unpleasant had happened to her redheaded companion. Through hailfire of bad situations shooting all around her, the last thing she needed was more bad news.

"Jaune?!" Blake covered her ears painfully, sensitive to the wailing of the alarm that reverberated throughout the house, scratching her eardrums in an irritating way.

"What?" He shouted at the top of his lungs. His ears were covered as well, barely hearing anything of what Blake was questioning the blonde about.

"What happened? Where's Ruby?" Blake continued, one eye squeezed shut tightly in discomfort, her brows furrowed and her hands pressed over her ears.

As if the devil called her in, An out-of-breath Ruby raced around the corner, almost stumbling over her own feet in her hasty escape. She was sprinting down the corridor in their direction, panic written all over her features.

"Run!" She cried out, flailing her arms around wildly. Then she pointed behind her, somewhere further in the hallway, where a bigger problem had just turned around the corner as well.

An Atlesian Paladin, carrying a shining, long rifle was hot on Ruby's heels, shooting his firearm at the criminal. High on adrenaline, Ruby managed to avoid the gunfire, swiftly throwing her body in dodging maneuvers.

Closely following, Blake and Jaune started sprinting like their lives were dependant on this moment, which in some way, they actually were.

"How much security does this mansion have?" Blake huffed under her breath, catching up with the redheaded criminal.

"I don't know, but this wasn't in the blueprint!" Ruby exclaimed panicked, her head thrown back over her shoulder. A light layer of sweat had formed and started to drip down her forehead. For a moment there was a deep concentration in her expression, until a plan crossed her mind. Up ahead, the corridor split into several sections, presenting the opportunity for an escape for at least two of the gang.

"Split up!" Ruby called out, and she found herself running straight forward. Blake had taken a swift left and Jaune had taken the right turn.

The Paladin however, continued chasing the redhead herself. Now she had to proceed to the second phase of her plan. But there was a lack of a second phase.

Maybe this idea wasn't as solid has she imagined it to be.

"Crap. Crap! CRAP!" The hallway came to a dead end in front of her, adding to the stack of problems. Ruby stopped dead in her tracks, the Paladin nearly crashing into her back. Raising her fists, the redhead took a fighting stance, knowing she had little to no chance against an android drawing a laser rifle from his hip.

Hand to hand combat was most definitely not the Rose's strongest asset, as it became clear in situations that were back in the past, where she had been unable to defend herself against any form of physical assault without a firearm. Hours of training with her sister on rooftops in their home district had brought change in that incapability, eventually.

She had blown up in sheer ecstatic cheering, back when she won a hand-to-hand fight for the first time in her life. Even when her win came out of totally unexpected and unplanned corners.

The redhead had found herself chased by a police-officer after a robbery. He managed to push the girl to the ground when he caught up to her. Trying her utmost best to push him off her back, the officer started throwing fists, attempting to slam down on top of her scalp. In a desperate attempt to defend herself, Ruby landed a jab on his jaw, knocking him out as his body went limp on top of her.

Honestly, the fact that she had knocked out a trained combatant had surprised Ruby more than the devastating blow did to said officer.

"Halt." The robotic, synchronized male voice demanded, raising his gun up to where the laser dot had rested between Ruby's eyes. Ruby threw up her arms and she froze in place as every muscle in her being tensed up. Her eyes squeezed together, fearing what was inevitable to happen next.

 **BANG!**

Ruby's eyes went wide, and her hands rapidly felt all over her body, searching for any holes that weren't supposed to be there. But there.. weren't?

Instead, the Paladin collapsed to his knees before crashing on the ground with a dying bleep. The back of his metallic torso had been shot open and broken wiring and gears were sticking out, eliciting small sparks of electricity from its circuitry.

Behind the Paladin stood Blake, holding up a handgun, and Jaune cowardly hiding behind her. A small cloud of smoke blew out of the gun's barrel, indicating that it had been fired mere moments ago.

"You're lucky that I found this gun." Blake stated coldly in the silence, holstering the gun in her back pocket, just in case it was still useful for another situation.

"Thank god." Ruby muttered under her breath, clutching her hand to her chest in relief, her eyes closed.

"We need to go." Jaune's eyes searched around in a restless manner, looking for any potential threat. There was a slight hint of fear in his eyes, as if he was wandering through a haunted house. "I don't know about you, but I've had enough excite-"

Jaune was interrupted by a loud thud,closely followed by the sound of glass shattering and something heavy dropping on the floor.

"What was that?" Blake frowned in question.

For a second, Ruby's mind went into a million directions, pondering for an answer. Then her eyes went wide with shock.

 **"YANG!"**

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Tune back in for the last part of this Spin-Off in the next chapter!**

 **See you in the next chapter!**

 **-TheBrokenBottle**


	3. Bad-Ass Break-In Finale

"Crap…"

A slightly dazed Yang looked at the heavily smoking bonnet of the car she'd just wrecked, a significant dent in the garage door showing where her ill-fated break-out attempt had occurred.

The force of the impact had shattered the windscreen and sent cracks running down the windows like so many rivers coursing their way across a vast glass landscape. As she shifted slightly in her seat much of the broken glass fell from the remnants of the dashboard currently residing in her lap and pooled in the footwell of the now-ruined car.

With some considerable effort she forced open the car door, which had become jammed during the crash, and stood back, surveying the results of her first attempt at driving.

"Well this isn't good," she mused, still shook from the impact, her hands planted on her hips and the metal toolbox still by her side. "I KNEW I should have gotten my license." A mental note for next time she intended to use a car as an improvised battering ram.

Yang was drawn from her reflection by the harsh blaring of the car alarm echoing around the garage, and the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching from inside the house.

"Yang?!" Ruby charged through the door, loot gathered in her arms, her jaw dropping in utter shock at the sight of a wreckage. Jaune and Blake followed close behind, peeking over the redhead's shoulders.

"Oh no." Blake dropped her head in her palms, her brows creased in deep frustration at the blonde's infuriating tendency to ignore her partner's orders. "You moron!"

"Hehe, well you see, I thought it would work. You know, the car would break through the garage door and we'd be out!" Yang explained, her hand awkwardly scratching the back of her scalp. Her lips were pressed together and her eyes tried to avoid those of her infuriated companions.

"Yang you just woke up the whole neighbourhood." Ruby scolded, the ringing of the car alarm and another alarm somewhere in the house still in the background. "We need to leave. NOW!"

"Ruby it's not THAT bad…"

Any reply the youngster could have mustered was quickly overwhelmed by the hurried scraping of claws on wooden floor as the guard dogs hurtled towards the garage.

All four thieves looked at each other for a brief second before turning tail and running away as fast as their legs could carry them, Ruby trailing the others slightly on account of the stolen goods she carried in her arms. Any pretence of stealth was now long gone and the eager slobbering of the encroaching dogs gave them all the motivation they needed to get the hell out of there.

"This way!" Yang called out, indicating towards the main hall, her right hand still clasped tightly around her trusty toolbox. The large, open spaces carried the echoes of their footsteps and the blaring of the alarms around, creating a cacophony that assaulted their ears as they followed Yang through corridors and rooms, desperately pushing themselves to escape the snarling canines that were hot on their heels.

Despite their best efforts, it seemed like they were doomed. The winding, twisting passageways had led them to a large oaken door, sealed shut by an old-fashioned iron lock. It seemed to tower over the frightened youngsters and without the key it served to trap them in this narrow corridor, with the ever-eager guard dogs rapidly approaching.

"Yang what do we do?!" Ruby panicked, hiding behind her older sister.

"Erm, I don't know…" Yang replied, more to herself than anyone, as she scanned the darkened corridor for any salvation. But none presented themselves to the desperate blonde.

"Maybe we can break it down!" Jaune optimistically suggested, charging into the door but only succeeding in bruising his shoulder and his pride.

"Oh lord…" Blake appeared frozen with fear, her already pale complexion whitening further and her wide eyes locked on the two rottweilers that had just rounded the corner. Each seemed to Blake to be a mass of muscle and teeth, and as they slowly stalked down the corridor towards their cornered prey she felt her legs turn to jelly.

"Any time now would be great, Yang!" Ruby tried but earned only a sharp look from her sister.

"Give me a second, I'm thinking!"

"We might not HAVE a second."

"Ruby shut up or I'll… Wait, I've got it!" She proclaimed triumphantly, hurriedly flipping open her toolbox and withdrawing the rock from within.

"Cmon rock, don't fail me now!" Yang cried as she brought the stone down in a swift movement, striking the lock on the door with a thud. A second, firmer strike made deep dents into the iron framing of the lock.

Unfortunately for the quartet this noise only seemed to aggravate the two dogs, who broke out into a sprint, drool hanging from their open mouths as they rapidly closed on the foolish intruders.

"Almost through!" Yang shouted, closing her eyes instinctively as a third, powerful strike smashed through the lock and send the warped and bent iron thudding to the floor. A firm shove forced open the oaken door and they bolted through, Yang dragging Blake behind her and slamming the door behind them, avoiding the fearsome jaws that pursued them by mere millimeters.

"Quick, find something to bar it!" Jaune pleaded, desperately trying to hold the door shut against the force of the two rottweilers on the other side.

"Already on it." Ruby grunted as she struggled to move a cabinet across the wooden floor. She was joined by Yang who, after placing the still stricken Blake on the floor, helped her sister with the heavy cabinet, sealing the door.

All three of them stood there for a second, breathing heavily, as they heard the dogs on the other side of the door scratching helplessly at the toughened oak. After a few seconds their canine pursuers relented in their pointless pursuit and scampered off back down the corridor into the rest of the house.

"Let's not do that again." Ruby pleaded weakly, her arms straining from the effort of carrying so much plunder.

"Agreed!" Yang nodded as she helped Blake to her feet, the cat faunus still shaking slightly from the shock.

"Well we're here now," Jaune replied, indicating to the shattered window through which they had first made their entrance, "Let's leave before the police get here."

* * *

Weiss stared at the phone on her desk at the station, as she had been for most of the day, dreading what she knew was going to be a very, very unpleasant phonecall. The alarm at the mayor's mansion the previous had alerted nearby police units but by the time they got there whoever had broken in had been long gone. Officers had spent most of the day looking for any leads, and it had taken until late afternoon for a pile of documents and photos to find their way to her desk for her to sort through. She'd been looking through them for the past few hours and the chill of night was encroaching on her office already.

Despite many photos and comprehensive lists of what had been taken, nothing was known about the intruders' identities. Their motives seemed unclear, too, for as well as stealing valuables and some sensitive documents, the thieves also managed to destroy an Altesian Paladin that was assigned for security and write off one of the mayor's favourite cars by inexplicably ramming it into a garage door. And yet, despite this there had been no clues left: just a lot of mess. On the plus side there were no rose petals on the scene so at least this wasn't the work of the Rose Thief.

"Ruby…" Weiss found herself muttering, her mind already thinking about the girl that had proven such an enigma; the criminal who had sat and dined with her and treated her like an equal, despite them being so different.

The inevitable phonecall rang clear through the office and, with a heavy sigh, Weiss answered.

"Weiss Schnee, Vale Police Department."

"You better have a good lead on whoever ruined my house, Schnee, or by god I'll see you fired." The mayor's voice boomed through the speaker, causing Weiss to push the phone away from her ear in a startled manner.

"I'm sorry sir, we don't have anything right now. I've sent forensics in and-"

"That's not good enough damn it!" The mayor spat, "I've indulged your pointless little chase of that Rose Thief but this is serious criminal damage to a senior politician's private property. Now you either find who did this or find a replacement for your job."

"Yes sir I-" Weiss stated, but she wasn't given a chance to finish her sentence.

The line went dead, leaving Weiss alone in the room, the phone still in her hand. She'd known that the mayor, who had been out of town visiting friends and abusing the privileges of his office, would react like this but it still stung to hear all her recent failures dismissed as something so trivial. Despite what he and everyone else thought, there was a lot more to Ruby than just a petty thief: she was almost enchanting, in a way no one could ever understand. Even Weiss herself didn't quite know how she felt about her criminal counterpart and she wouldn't even know where to begin conveying her true feelings for the crimson-haired rapscallion.

With a dejected sigh and more than a little regret over her introspection, Weiss proceeded to sort through and analyse the masses of unfinished paperwork and images of stolen items from the mayor's household that littered her usually tidy desk, when a light knocking on her door interrupted the work. In came Velvet, holding a small package under her arm. Adjusting her glasses, she spoke.

"I found this between today's delivered mail, ma'am, it's addressed to you." Velvet said, putting down the small box. Her name was indeed written on the side, in bold, almost graceful lettering.

"For me?" Weiss' eyebrows raised, scooting her desk chair closer to reach for the package. "From whom?"

"I don't know." Velvet admitted, calmly shaking her head. "There's nothing of a name or address from a sender on here."

"Alright." There was a slight hint of confusion and curiosity in the way the white-haired officer spoke. Looking up, she nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Velvet."

In response, Velvet smiled back warmly, retreating from the agent's office, softly closing the door behind her.

With the utmost caution, Weiss loomed over the package, her imagination racing at the possibilities of what might lie beneath the brown wrapping paper. In all her years working for the police she'd not once received any parcel: on the rare occasion a rich benefactor wanted to reward her service they inevitably invited her to their mansions to do so. As a result she was unsure whether to feel blessed for receiving something like this, or suspicious by the lack of sender or information. There were plenty of people who would wish her harm, and this could definitely be one way of smuggling something potentially lethal into a police station. And yet, Weiss found herself almost certain that this was something else. Something… special.

Without any further delay, Weiss reached for a pair of scissors from one of the draws on her desk, curiosity enveloping her mind. With soft, delicate touches she cut open the paper to reveal a small, black box, glistening in the twin lights of her desktop lamp and the one overhead, each reflecting off the dark surface like the sun and the moon arching their way across the midnight sky.

With more than a little trepidation, she gingerly held the box to her ear. There were no audio clues as to what may lie inside, although secretly she was quite relieved not to hear anything that might indicate an explosive device. Weiss shook it lightly, a muffled rattling emitting from within the box.

Her teeth itching and her fingers tingling, Weiss gave in to temptation and carefully she lifted the lid, revealing whatever object lay hidden inside.

A sea of gold and red shone up at her and Weiss gasped at the jewelry she held before her. An exquisite golden necklace inlaid with dozens of rubies, such opulence she had never in her wildest dreams ever imagined holding. The gold alone had to be worth thousands, and the piece itself must have been in the millions. Such an allure the precious art had on the young officer that she found herself examining it, holding each individual ruby at a time, watching how the shimmer of light reflecting off the gold danced around the room as she played with it in her hands.

The centerpiece of the jewelry was perhaps the most captivating: the largest ruby she had ever seen held in a gold mount. This gem was so big Weiss could even see her reflection in it. And yet, as she gazed into it, something seemed off. Somehow, this object felt oddly familiar to the white-haired girl.

"Wait a second.." Weiss muttered to herself, gently laying down the necklace before focusing her attention to the documents scattered on her desk. Quickly rummaging through them, Weiss started to frantically flick through the pictures of looted jewelry stolen from the mayor's residence the previous night.

And sure enough, there it was. The exact necklace Weiss had held in her grasp a second ago, was documented "robbed" in the sheets of paper handed to her. The notes described a small crack in one of the rubies, apparently after the mayor's wife had dropped it one time. With a feeling of dread inevitability, Weiss lifted up the necklace once more, inspecting it for the tell-tale crack that would confirm what she already knew. Sure enough, there it was: a small imperfection amongst such a masterwork piece that marred the surface of one of the smallest rubies of the bunch.

"Oh you've got to be.." Weiss muttered, her stomach sinking as her palm smacked against her forehead. Not only had she been incorrect in her assumptions that this was nothing to do with The Rose Thief, she had inadvertently spread her fingerprints all over one of the most distinct and valuable items belonging to one of the most powerful men in Vale. It was now painfully clear that Ruby was heavily involved, if not indeed the mastermind behind this robbery.

But it made Weiss feel strange, a comfortable warmth blossomed inside of her chest, spreading throughout her body. Never before had someone gotten anything approaching such a wonderful gift for her: she felt truly appreciated and… loved. It was an experience she couldn't understand but holding something in her hand that was so valuable and had been taken at great personal risk, just for her, by Ruby. That damned girl, who was becoming more and more involved in her life with every passing day. That damned, beautiful girl.

And it was indeed a beautiful necklace.

But it had passed midnight. This was something to ponder over in the morning with a fresh mind. Returning the piece of jewelry delicately back inside the black box and re-sealing the wrapping with small pieces of tape, Weiss hid the incriminating object in a secret compartment in the side of her desk before standing up.

Pushing her arm through the sleeve of her navy-blue bomberjack with a barely suppressed yawn, Weiss reached for her car keys, gazing back at the cabinet one last time.

'The mayor could just buy a new one.' Weiss thought, a small smirk crossing her lips. She mumbled to herself, shutting off the light before she closed the door.

"Besides, the mayor is an asshole anyway."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So here it is, the final chapter of this hopefully enjoyable spin-off series! I hope you had just as much of a blast reading it as I had writing it.**

 **And as always, I hope to see you in the next chapter! Have a great day.**

 **-TheBrokenBottle**


	4. Secret Santa Yang

Yang shivered as the wind picked up, hurling snow at her unprotected face and arms. It was a cold winter, very cold. The coldest since they'd moved to Vale and it showed no signs of letting up just yet. A constant stream of snowflakes fell from the skies, dancing in the early morning breeze as they did so, and every street was covered in a thick snowfall and had been for almost a month now. Predictably the authorities had been woefully underprepared and all reserves of grit and salt had been used within the first week to keep the road surfaces free of ice, leaving them now slippery and dangerous. Snow quickly compacted into ice and in many places it was a thin, glassy surface which offered no traction underfoot. Some residents and shopkeepers had taken to using the sand from the beach as it contained salt from the sea, but really this was more a token gesture than anything and left many of the backroads covered in a sandy mess.

Naturally this meant that anyone who had any choice in the matter was staying indoors, turning the heating up and avoiding the harsh weather as much as possible. If travel was unavoidable they'd definitely make sure to wrap up warm, bringing out big, thick winter coats and all manner of gloves and scarves and hats. Not Yang. She had precisely one set of clothes, as did her sister Ruby, and they were definitely not designed for these conditions. A thin t-shirt and even thinner shorts offered little protection from the freezing cold, and her leather jacket, worn almost completely through in some places, was utterly soaked and weighing heavy on her young, tired shoulders. At least her boots were mostly waterproof.

Another flurry of snow blew into Yang and she squeezed her eyes shut. Already her ears and nose had gone numb, and both her arms were a raw red from the battering she was suffering from the elements. Every breath left a trail of moisture hanging in the air and the crisp, cold air stung the back of her throat with each inhalation. She kept her head down as she struggled against the powerful winds, slowly making her way through the streets of Vale towards the shops that would just now be opening.

"Watch where you're going!" Someone shouted loudly from nearby, and Yang saw that she'd almost bumped into a stranger, a large, thick coat wrapped tightly around his body to keep him warm.

"Sorry." Yang mumbled in response, though she didn't mean it. Most of the people in Vale looked down on the young girl, calling her vermin or worse, and they branded her a criminal just because she was forced to steal in order to survive.

The heavy clouds overhead ensured that the city was in deep shade despite the weak attempts of the early morning sun to cast illumination over Vale, and the mood of the commuters and shoppers forced to travel in these treacherous conditions matched the prevailing gloom. Yang was called numerous names and insults by people on their way to work. She scowled: each and every one she'd been called before more times than she could count. Not once did anyone stop to ask if she was okay or wonder why a ten year old was out wearing tattered, thin clothing in the middle of winter.

One resident was foolish enough to try and take his car out and Yang watched as he got more and more irate at the complete lack of progress, the front wheels of the car spinning furiously but getting nowhere on a surface that was almost polished smooth. Anything other than the main roads had been utterly undriveable for a good few weeks now but evidently some people were yet to learn, Yang thought with a smug smile.

The backroads of Vale that she'd been traversing suddenly gave way to the heart of the city, and on both sides of the street all manner of shops were opening shutters, sweeping snow from their front doors and eagerly welcoming customers in. As the festive period was rapidly approaching it was the busiest time of year, dragging people from the warmths of their homes even on days as cold as this one. Shops selling toys and gifts were often the most crowded but almost everything was on offer somewhere in the vibrant center of Vale. At least, for those who could afford them.

That did not include Yang. In her pockets were a couple of buttons and a ragged piece of cloth that had become something of an all-purpose tool. Any coins that were thrown her way out of pity would quickly be spent on food so that she didn't starve. Amongst the many homeless living within Vale malnutrition was an ever-present danger, one that had claimed the lives of several unfortunate souls.

Still, though the city as a whole was hostile to the young girl there were some who still offered a hand when times were tough. A large wooden sign decorated in red and gold hung above an old-fashioned shop just ahead and Yang quickened her pace as she headed towards it. Glass paneled windows and a wooden door painted in the same red as the sign above (though much of it was chipped) were coated in frost and Yang giddly opened the door with her cold, raw hands and stepped into a wave of warmth.

* * *

Instantly a familiar sickly-sweet smell filled Yang's nose and she grinned as she looked at the treats on offer. It was an old-fashioned sweet shop that had barely changed in the decades it had been open, and the single filament bulb overhead cast a bright light on shelves that lined every wall and upon them were hundreds of plastic jars each containing a different type of candy. There were mints and pear drops, bonfire toffee and butterscotch, rhubarb and custard and lollies. Some jars held sweets that Yang had never even heard of such as fruit pips and aniseed humbugs and whatever menthol mixture was.

Behind a small counter an elderly man stood hunched over, seemingly unaware of Yang's presence. He squinted through small, bent spectacles at a newspaper resting on the counter and stared intently at the print. Thin wisps of white hair clung to his otherwise bald head, wrinkles and liver spots marked his skin and his stooped form reminded Yang of a vulture. A suit and tie that had, at one point, been the perfect fit now looked a few sizes too large and only served to highlight how thin the poor fellow was.

"Good morning Mr. Pennysworth!" Yang grinned, startling the old man slightly and he turned to focus on her.

"Yang? Is that you?" He replied weakly, evidence of his great age clear in the tone of his voice and how frail his posture was.

"Yeah!"

"How are you my dear? It's been ever so long since your last visit." He smiled kindly, holding a bowl towards her, "Here, have some candy."

A large bowl was presented to Yang and eagerly she grabbed a few choice chocolates and fudges and stuffed them into the pocket of her still soaking jacket. Albert Pennysworth and his wife Katherine were some of the few decent people left in Vale, and every time Yang got chance she'd come by and see how the old couple were doing. Every time she'd be offered some sweets and she'd save some for Ruby. It was one of Yang's simplest, greatest pleasures in life to present her younger sister with candy and see the look on the young girls face.

The shop contained over a hundred years history within its walls, having been handed down to Albert by his father. Yang knew this because the elderly man loved to tell her stories about his childhood and how much he'd seen throughout his many, many years. From the sounds of it, Vale was a very different place back then and sometimes Yang would lie awake at night, thinking about what it must have been like all those years ago.

One thing that hadn't changed much in that time was the shop itself: other than the occasional fresh coat of paint on the sign and door it remained the exact same. Even the worn wooden counter, complete with an ancient set of scales resting next to a till from way before Yang was even born, was original.

"Goodness Yang you look soaked to the bone! You really shouldn't be out in this weather."

"I know but I have to get something special for Ruby!" She chirped happily.

"Oh is it a present? What are you getting her, dear?"

Yang leaned in close, "It's a secret." She whispered.

Albert laughed gently but this quickly descended into a harsh cough and his feeble arms held onto the counter for support as his chest heaved with each exhalation. The old man spluttered and wheezed as his ancient body struggled to clear his airways. Every breath was laboured and heavy and he sat down on a chair to recover, occasionally lapsing back into another cough. Eventually the coughing fit subsided and the elderly shopkeeper steadied himself, offering a weak smile in the direction of Yang who returned it sympathetically. His venerable age was painfully clear.

"Sorry about that my dear, I'm not in quite the shape I used to be."

"It's fine Mr. Pennysworth. I hope your medicines will help you get better." She replied, concerned.

"Oh don't worry about me I'll be fine," He reassured her before calling to the back of the shop, "Kath! Kath it's Yang."

A warm, enticing aroma of freshly-baked cookies preceded the gradual arrival of Katherine Pennysworth from the rear of the shop. An apron, splattered with some cookie dough, hung loose on her aged shoulders and the tips of two mouse ears were just visible through her curly white hair, betraying her faunus heritage. She shuffled into the room slowly, her slippers scuffing the ground as she walked. In all the time that Yang had known the two of them, Kath had been one of the nicest, kindest people she'd ever met.

"Oh Yang, it's so lovely to see you!" She smiled, setting the tray of cookies down on the counter, "I was just saying to Albert the other day how we hadn't seen you in ages, isn't that right Albert?"

"Yes," he replied, "We are very fond of you Yang."

"Goodness you've grown!" Kath looked at the young girl, "I remember when you barely came up to my knee. How's that sister of yours doing?"

"Ruby's fine, I was just going to get a present for her from town."

"Ooh that sounds fun," the old woman chuckled, "You'll have to bring her along next time."

Yang nodded enthusiastically: Ruby loved this shop almost as much as she did, and honestly it made her smile seeing how well her younger sister got on with the Pennysworth's. Unfortunately the harsh conditions outside meant Yang wasn't willing to let Ruby make the treacherous journey into Vale, but she made a promise to herself that, as soon as the weather cleared, she'd bring the bubbly brunette here again.

"Yang dear, try one of these cookies, I just finished baking them so careful you don't burn yourself."

Not needing to be asked twice, Yang eagerly helped herself to the largest cookie on the baking tray and the cookie, still warm to the touch, was hastily shoved into her mouth. Instantly her tastebuds were tantalised by chocolate chips that melted in her mouth, and she grinned from ear to ear. Every time Mrs. Pennysworth made a fresh batch of cookies they were better than the last.

They chatted for a short while, the elderly couple clearly enjoying some company. A couple of customers came in to buy sweets, each viewing Yang with cold indifference as she stood there trying not to get in the way. To those people this was just another shop: nothing special or endearing. They didn't care for Mr. Pennysworth's stories of his youth or his wife's delectable baking, nor did they care about the young girl in soaked clothing and a worn jacket. Like most of the citizens of Vale they cared only for themselves and viewed the shop and it's owners as a means to their own happiness. Nothing else.

' _More pity them_ ' Yang thought smugly. ' _They don't take the time to appreciate these incredible people or what they have to offer._ '

"I really must be going," Yang sighed after an exaggerated but entertaining tale from Albert, "Thank you for the sweets and cookies Mr. and Mrs. Pennysworth!"

"Yang dear, call us Albert and Kath," The elderly faunus smiled, "Isn't that right Albert?"

"Oh yes. You and your sister are always welcome here."

She nodded in acknowledgement, knowing that it would do the old couple a world of good to see her younger sister again. Ruby had been quite a lot smaller when they first dared to venture into the shop, so much so that Yang had to lift her up so she could see the shelves that lined the walls. Now, with how fast the brunette was growing, she could almost reach the highest shelves herself.

"Here, have a cookie to take with you." Kath offered.

"Thank you Mrs. Pennysworth!" She said with a grin before greedily shoving the whole cookie into her mouth, earning a slight chuckle from the old woman.

At the door Yang stopped and waved back at them both one last time. She would love to stay and chat for hours on end but she had other important business in Vale, business that couldn't wait. Bracing herself against the cold weather she opened the door and stepped out into the snow.

* * *

In the time Yang had been in the shop the sun had begun to shine through the thick layers of cloud overhead, casting the city in a weak light and revealing a winter wonderland. Snow hung heavy on roofs and windowsills and every gust of wind sent countless snowflakes pirouetting through the air, showering the people below. The trees that flanked the streets were bare, snow clinging to the tops of branches and icicles hanging down like vicious spikes of ice. The temperature had barely changed and Yang shivered as her exposed arms felt the bite of winter.

Vale was much busier now as people rushed about their days, turning the once-pristine layer of snow that carpeted the streets into a grey slush. It was hard for Yang, small as she was, to force her way through the mass of strangers in her way, and soon she was exhausted.

' _Just one more stop._ ' Yang thought, biting back her frustrations at the clueless crowds of commuters and shoppers.

She had to get some things from the market before she could head home, and the sooner the better. Already it was too busy for her liking and as more and more people braved the snowy weather Yang could tell it was only going to get worse. Every pair of eyes seemed to follow her, silently judging the young girl. She was, as far as they were concerned, beneath them in every way; so unimportant as to not bear thinking about except for silent condemnation. The gazes followed her through the streets until she arrived at the market a couple of blocks away, a few tears stinging her eyes from the disgust she was subjected to.

There were two reasons Yang was going to the market now: firstly to acquire some basic vegetables for food and secondly to get a present for Ruby. The majority of what they ate was a weak vegetable soup made from potatoes, cabbage and sprouts. It tasted disgusting but filled them up and was easy to make so it was good enough. Yang longed for the day when she could go into fine restaurants and try different cuisines from places across the world, but for now the watery, bitter soup would have to do.

As far as getting Ruby a present, it had become something of a tradition that every year Yang would go out and fetch something for her little sister to open as the nights got colder and colder. Living in poverty was draining in so many ways, and having something to look forward to, no matter how small, helped Ruby get through it. It gave Yang such a feeling of pride seeing the small brunette playing with whatever toy she'd managed to obtain.

Vale market was a ring of buildings surrounding an open square, with neat rows of wooden stalls set up offering a whole range of goods. Various fragrances drifted Yang's way, tempting her with food from all around the world. Meat, both fresh and cooked, vegetables and fruit, many of which Yang had never even heard of, were for sale. Each vendor called out, telling marvellous tales of how their goods were the best in an effort to entice customers and the mix of voices, smells and sounds could be noticed from several blocks away.

People milled around the market, moving from stall to stall as they hurried to be done as soon as possible in the bitterly cold day. The large number of shoppers made it easy for Yang to make her own way through the market, helping herself to a few essentials for food over the coming week. An array of crates laid on a table offered root vegetables and a few fruits and Yang waited until the owner was preoccupied before subtly slipping some into a small bag with practised ease, grabbing a few more obscure vegetables to break the monotony of just soup. She did feel a little bad about it but the total value of the goods she stole was barely a couple of lien, and it was the difference between eating or starving so really she had no choice.

At all times Yang kept a watchful eye on the people surrounding her. If anyone saw her stealing she was in serious trouble, and she didn't relish a mad dash through the snow to escape justice.

With the food well stored in the bag, Yang only had one more thing to sort: a present for Ruby. She'd wanted to get her something special this year and as she wandered through Vale she saw loads and loads of gifts in shop windows, but every time she got kicked out for having no money.

' _What a surprise…_ ' Yang thought bitterly.

There were dolls, toys, kits and models, all of which would have been perfect for Ruby. But every one of them was out of her reach. She would love to bring back a doll for her younger sister and see the joy in her eyes as she opened the present, but getting caught by security might result in a night in the police station, and Yang couldn't risk that.

She kept trying for hours, desperately looking for something easier to obtain but there was nothing. Vale was getting busier and busier and Yang was quickly running out of options, until a moment of inspiration struck her: she wouldn't steal a doll for Ruby, she'd MAKE a doll for Ruby.

Excitedly rummaging through the bag containing the vegetables she had take, Yang grinned. It wasn't perfect but she could make this work. The doll would have an aubergine for a body and a small carrot each for the arms and legs. An old newspaper cut to shape would make a fine dress, and a round, plump tomato was just right for the head, and it would all be held together by bits of string. Yang smiled as she expertly fished the items from around her, watching as the doll took shape.

She ran back home, the bag of vegetables under one arm and the doll under the other. Already she was imagining the look on Ruby's face the next morning when she opened her present, and as soon as she was back she hurriedly wrapped it in thin paper and hid it ready for the next day.

* * *

"Yang wake up!"

"Hmm…"

"Yang! Wake up!"

She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times to clear her vision. Ruby was bouncing on her bed, grinning from ear to ear with her long red cloak which was still too big for the young girl trailing behind her. In Ruby's hands was clutched a familiar looking doll formed of vegetables and old newspaper and Yang could honestly say she'd never seen her little sister look so happy.

"Yang look what Santa got me!"

* * *

 **Hey guys!**

 **Sorry for the slight delay of this chapter, since I've spent this week on an exchange program in the city of Berlin. I'll continue working on two of my other stories, (Condemned and The Rose Thief) next, and I hope I'll see you there!**

 **Also, if you don't follow The Rose Thief, I highly recommend that you should. It's the universe where these spin-offs and one-shots are based on.**

 **As always; Read, review, follow, favorite and check out my other stories! :)**

 **-TheBrokenBottle**


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